8.—Phanæus Milo 102 Fig. 9.—Work of Phanæus Milo. A, the whole piece, actual size. B, the same opened, showing the pill of sausage-meat, the clay gourd, the chamber containing the egg and the ventilating-shaft 104 Fig. 10.—Work of Phanæus Milo: the largest of the gourds observed (natural size) 108 PLATE V.—1. Onthophagus Taurus. 2. Onthophagus Vacca. 3. The Stercoraceous Geotrupe. 4. The Wide-necked Scarab. 5. Cleonus Ophthalmicus. 6. Cerceris Tuberculata. 7. Buprestis Ærea facing 80 Fig. 11.—The Stercoraceous Geotrupe’s sausage 121 Fig. 12.—Section of the Stercoraceous Geotrupe’s sausage at its lower end, showing the egg and the hatching-chamber 122 PLATE VI.—Minotaurus Typhœus, male and female. Excavating Minotaurus’ burrow facing 132 PLATE VII.—The Minotaurus couple engaged on miller’s and baker’s work facing 137 PLATE VIII.—1. The Common or Garden Scolia. 2. The Two-banded Scolia. 3. Grub of Cetonia Aurata progressing on its back. 4. The Two-banded Scolia paralyzing a Cetonia grub. 5. Cetonia grubs progressing on their backs, with their legs in the air; two are in a resting position, rolled up facing 146 PLATE IX.—1. Lycosa Narbonensis. 2. The Ringed Calicurgus. 3. Ammophila Hirsuta. 4. Ammophila Sabulosa. 5. Scroll of Rhynchites Vitis. 6. Scroll of Rhynchites Populi facing 162 PLATE X.—The large glass case containing the Scorpions facing 226 PLATE XI.—1. Nuptial allurements, showing “the straight bend.” 2. The wedding stroll. 3. The couple enter the nuptial dwelling facing 240 PLATE XII.—1. The Languedocian Scorpion devouring a cricket. 2. After pairing-time: the female feasting on her Scorpion. 3. The mother and her family, with emancipation-time at hand facing 252 THE SACRED BEETLE THE LIFE AND LOVE OF THE INSECT CHAPTER I THE SACRED BEETLE The building of the nest, the safeguard of the family, furnishes the loftiest expression of the instinctive faculties. That ingenious architect, the bird, teaches us as much; and the insect, with its still more varied talents, repeats the lesson, telling us that maternity is the supreme inspirer of the instinct. Placed in charge of the duration of the species, which is of more serious interest than the preservation of individuals, maternity awakens a marvellous foresight in the drowsiest intelligence; it is the thrice sacred hearth wherein smoulder and then suddenly burst forth those incomprehensible psychic gleams which give us the impression of an infallible reasoning power. The more maternity asserts itself, the higher does instinct ascend.